HUE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES ------------ NGUYEN HO BAO TRAN AN INVESTIGATION INTO TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS AND PRACTICE OF SCAFFOLDING IN TEACHING EFL STUDENTS’ LISTENING COMPREHENSION AT HIGH SCHOOLS IN THUA THIEN HUE PROVINCE MA THESIS IN THEORY AND METHODOLOGY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, University of Foreign Languages and International Studies, Hue University THUA THIEN HUE, 2023 HUE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES ------------ NGUYEN HO BAO TRAN AN INVESTIGATION INTO TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS AND PRACTICE OF SCAFFOLDING IN TEACHING EFL STUDENTS’ LISTENING COMPREHENSION AT HIGH SCHOOLS IN THUA THIEN HUE PROVINCE MA THESIS IN THEORY AND METHODOLOGY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING CODE: 8140111 SUPERVISOR: DR. NGUYEN HO HOANG THUY THUA THIEN HUE, 2023 ĐẠI HỌC HUẾ TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC NGOẠI NGỮ ------------ NGUYỄN HỒ BẢO TRÂN NGHIÊN CỨU VỀ NHẬN THỨC VÀ THỰC TRẠNG SỬ DỤNG HOẠT ĐỘNG HỖ TRỢ HỌC TẬP CỦA GIÁO VIÊN KHI GIẢNG DẠY KỸ NĂNG NGHE HIỂU TIẾNG ANH TẠI CÁC TRƯỜNG THPT Ở TỈNH THỪA THIÊN HUẾ LUẬN VĂN THẠC SĨ LÝ LUẬN VÀ PHƯƠNG PHÁP DẠY HỌC BỘ MÔN TIẾNG ANH MÃ SỐ: 8140111 NGƯỜI HƯỚNG DẪN KHOA HỌC: TS. NGUYỄN HỒ HOÀNG THUỶ THỪA THIÊN HUẾ, 2023 STATEMENT OF ORIGINAL AUTHORSHIP The work contained in this thesis has not been previously submitted for a degree in any university. I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, my thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made in the thesis itself.
Signed: Date: … / … / 2023 i ABSTRACT This research investigated how EFL teachers at high schools in Thua Thien Hue province perceived scaffolding for improving listening comprehension and how they applied these scaffolding strategies in actual classrooms. The study adopted a mixed-methods approach to explore the views and practices of EFL teachers in Thua Thien Hue high schools. The study's methodology included three primary data collection methods: questionnaires, classroom observations, and interviews. The research involved 48 EFL teachers from eight high schools in Thua Thien Hue province, selected through random sampling.
Additionally, six of these teachers allowed classroom observations and follow-up interviews. The findings highlighted that EFL teachers highly valued scaffolding as it simplified the listening process, enhanced engagement, and boosted listening skills. Scaffolding was seen as an effective way to reduce students' anxiety during listening activities by breaking tasks into manageable parts. In terms of practical implementation, teachers frequently used various scaffolding strategies, such as explaining new terms, task repetition, and efficient use of wait time.
However, differences between self-reported practices and classroom observations suggested areas for improvement and emphasized the need for additional training to enhance the effective use of scaffolding strategies. This research has important implications for EFL educators, curriculum developers, and policymakers. It offers insights into effective teaching practices for improving listening skills and underscores the importance of scaffolding, especially in mixed- ability classrooms. It also highlights the necessity of teacher training to address implementation challenges.
Overall, this study contributes to a better understanding of scaffolding strategies in teaching listening comprehension in EFL contexts, potentially leading to improved teaching methods and learning materials in the context of high schools in Vietnam. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my deep gratitude to the individuals who have been pivotal in guiding and encouraging me throughout the process of completing this MA thesis. Their support and contributions have been invaluable, and I extend my heartfelt appreciation to each of them. First and foremost, I am profoundly grateful to my thesis advisor, Dr.
Nguyen Ho Hoang Thuy. Her scholarly expertise, wise guidance, and unwavering assistance have been the cornerstones of this research journey. The discussions with her and her constructive feedback have not only deepened my insights into the research but have also significantly improved my research skills. Without her steadfast support, this research would not have come to fruition.
I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to the teachers who generously participated in this study. Their enthusiastic involvement and the insights they shared about scaffolding in teaching EFL students’ listening comprehension at high schools were invaluable in completing this research. Lastly, I am wholeheartedly grateful to my family members for their boundless love and unyielding support. My students have also been a tremendous source of encouragement and strength throughout this challenging MA journey.
Their unwavering support, both emotionally and spiritually, has been an essential driving force during the challenging milestones of my academic pursuit. iii LISTS OF TABLES Table 3. Summary of questionnaire participants’ background. Teachers’ perceptions of scaffolding strategies and its importance on enhancing students’ listening comprehension.
Teachers’ perceptions of the benefits of implementing scaffolding strategies in listening lessons. Teachers’ perceptions of the challenges of implementing scaffolding strategies in listening lessons. Teachers’ responses to their frequency of applying scaffolding strategies at pre-listening stage. Teachers’ responses to their frequency of applying scaffolding strategies at the while-listening stage based on teachers’ responses.
Teachers’ responses to their frequency of applying scaffolding strategies at the post-listening stage. 60 iv LIST OF FIGURES Figure 4. Teachers’ perception of scaffolding as the assistance by the teacher to facilitate student learning of listening through teacher-student interaction. Teachers’ perceptions on the benefits when implementing scaffolding strategies in enhancing students’ listening skill.
Rank of scaffolding strategies used at the pre-listening stage based on teachers’ responses. Rank of scaffolding strategies used at the while-listening stage based on teachers’ responses. 55 v LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS EFL : English as a Foreign Language MOET : Ministry of Education and Training ZPD : Zone of Proximal Development vi TABLE OF CONTENTS STATEMENT OF ORIGINAL AUTHORSHIP .iii LISTS OF TABLES.iv LIST OF FIGURES. v LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .vi TABLE OF CONTENTS.
vii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION. Aims of the study. Scope of the study. Significance of the study.
Structure of the study. 5 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW. The importance of listening comprehension. The process of listening comprehension.
Factors affecting students’ success in listening comprehension. Teaching listening comprehension to EFL students. Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). Definition of scaffolding.
Significance of scaffolding. Features of scaffolding. Scaffolding EFL students’ listening comprehension. Data collection instruments.
Data collection procedure. 34 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION. Teachers’ perceptions of scaffolding strategies in listening lessons. Teachers’ understanding of the concept of ‘scaffolding strategies’ in listening lessons.
Teachers’ perceptions of the benefits of implementing scaffolding strategies in listening lessons. Teachers’ perceptions of the challenges of implementing scaffolding strategies in listening lessons. Teachers’ practice of implementing scaffolding strategies in English listening class. Scaffolding strategies at the pre-listening stage.
Strategies at the while-listening stage. Scaffolding strategies at post-listening stage. Summary of the key findings. EFL teachers’ perceptions of scaffolding listening comprehension.
EFL teachers’ practice of implementing scaffolding strategies in listening classes. For language teachers. For educational administrators and curriculum developers. Limitations of the study.
Recommendations for further studies. 86 ix CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1. Introduction This chapter provides an overview of the research's rationale, emphasizing the significance of effective English language teaching in the context of Vietnam. It underscores the essential role of listening skills in language acquisition and communication.
Additionally, the introduction explores the emergence of scaffolding strategies in language education, particularly in the Vietnamese setting, and identifies the research gap related to scaffolding in teaching listening skills. The chapter concludes by outlining the research objectives, guiding questions, and the structure of the subsequent chapters, offering a roadmap for the comprehensive exploration of teachers' perceptions and practices in scaffolding EFL students' listening comprehension. Rationale In today's world, English is considered the dominant international language, with more non-native speakers than native speakers (Galloway & Rosc, 2015; Mohammed, 2020). English is used by a quarter of the world's population, and this number is expected to increase to two billion by 2020 (British Council, 2013).
Therefore, teaching English as a foreign or second language becomes essential to help the new generation adapt to the rapid changes and challenges of this era. However, in the context of Vietnam, English is not the primary language of daily communication. Students in Vietnam have limited opportunities to engage in interactions in English in their everyday lives. This lack of exposure and practice in real- life English language use outside of the classroom can impact their language acquisition and proficiency.
Therefore, it becomes imperative that English should be effectively taught in the classroom. In other words, the quality of English language teaching needs to be focused and more attention should be given to different language skills to achieve the purpose of teaching English, especially the goal of teaching English, to develop students' communication skills. Communication is a two-way process, a message cannot be communicated without someone receiving it (Prabavathi & Nagasubramani, 2018), which makes teaching and learning EFL listening skills gain utmost importance. Research has shown that listening comprehension plays a vital role in EFL learning (Ling & Xu, 2018; Vandergrift & Tafaghodtari, 2010), and it is crucial for learners to develop this skill in order to communicate effectively in English.
Effective listening skills help learners not only in their academic 1 pursuits but also in their personal and professional lives (Rost, 2011). Therefore, EFL listening instruction should be given significant attention in foreign language education, as it has a significant impact on learners' language learning outcomes (Goh & Taib, 2006). In addition, listening is also the first step in the process of acquiring a new foreign language (Vandergrift, 1999; Xu, 2011). However, listening and understanding English as a foreign language is one of the difficult skills.
It is a complex skill involving a large number of smaller skills such as distinguishing English sounds, recognizing stress, meaning intonation, grammatical structure, etc (Walker, 2014). Therefore, listening skills seem difficult to develop on their own, but need to be built gradually through guidance. In the context of teaching and learning English at high school in Vietnam, being aware of the importance of English communication for the future generation of students, the Ministry of Education and Training has just introduced a new educational program 2018, with the communicative orientation. A unit in the textbook consists of an introductory lesson, a lesson on language knowledge units (vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation), then students apply them in skill lessons.
Listening is the third skill, after reading and speaking skill, rather than the first, as the order of natural language acquisition. The rest of the listening activities are allocated at the introduction, or as a basis for the development of other language skills, usually speaking, in the form of listening and repetition. From personal as well as other researchers’ observations, although it seems to have begun to take up more space in textbooks, teaching listening is often overlooked in schools (Tran & Duong, 2020). There are many reasons why listening is one of the most neglected skills in language teaching and learning despite its importance.
The first reason is about the traditional method of teaching listening, which still exists in today's textbooks, students simply listen to conversations to answer questions. This way of teaching does not really help students form important skills. According to some other researchers, this is because most teachers are uncertain about the best way to teach listening skills (Hwaider, 2017). Another reason is that teachers and students in Vietnam are still exam-oriented, when listening is not tested in the final high school graduation exam, it does not receive the corresponding attention it deserves.
2 The above short description of listening skills as well as the current situation of teaching English listening skills in Vietnam shows that the techniques for teaching English listening in the classroom need more research. One such approach is that students are supported by their teachers by scaffolding.